Snowflake
by CeliaEquus
Summary: When Hermione is in a magical coma, Dumbledore does something to prevent her mind and spirit from deteriorating, leading to an unexpected friendship. For the Undone Stories challenge. Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and make no money from this.
1. Part 1

"Getting to Know You"

This was worse than the time Hermione had been petrified. This time, she was in a coma – a magical one – and diagnostic tests had proven that her mind was changed beyond recognition. According to the headmaster, if she ever woke up she would be as useful as a Flobberworm, a state which the old Hermione would detest.

Not that Albus Dumbledore used such words. He was far more eloquent when speaking to her friends and family. But it was true; with her usual brain function damaged, there was no hope of recovery, nor was she of any help to the war effort.

"She would not want to be this way," he murmured. It was the dead of night as he looked down at her prone body on the hospital bed, covered by a single white sheet, her face as pale as the moonlight streaking through the window onto her left hand. He whistled softly, and the dog lying nearby trotted over to him, hoping for another treat.

But Dumbledore had something else in mind.

"I am truly sorry, Miss Granger," he said. "This is the only way to… make use of you in this condition. And it could very well help your mind heal if it inhabits a body that can get some exercise. There is a Muggle village that is safe, and has been protected by some form of magic. I found this dog at an animal shelter during my investigation," he indicated the husky at his feet, even though Hermione could not have seen it, "and thought that she would be a perfect cover." He sighed. "And there is more.

"A Death Eater lives at his ancestral manor, which is situated near the village. It is possible that he is the one protecting the Muggles, but if this is the case then I wish to know why."

He heard a noise outside the hospital wing, and saw Filch pass the door moments later. The caretaker squinted, and then nodded when he clearly recognised Dumbledore. The headmaster waved back, but he waited until the light was gone before he turned back to Hermione.

"If the Death Eater – Yaxley – takes you in then I may be able to spy on him through you, once your mind is intact and the spell reversed. And if he can form some emotional attachment to you then we can use it to our advantage. " He picked up her hand. "I will do everything that I can to fix this, Miss Granger. This is the only thing I can do for the time being. It is all for the Greater Good."

His heart was heavy as he dropped her hand and then raised his wand. It was time to perform the Switching Spell.

-GTKY-

The weather was getting colder, and snow was even predicted for this part of Scotland. Dumbledore waited until Yaxley arrived, and then took the 'dog' for a walk. There was no trace of an enchantment on her, and she was in a poor condition. If Yaxley was not as hard as he appeared – and Dumbledore suspected that this was the case – then surely he would not turn away a cry for help? According to Severus, the house elves were relatively well-treated, Yaxley's magical signature was all over the wards on the Muggle village, and he had no family. Outside of work and meetings of the Inner Circle, he led a lonely life. A dog would – hopefully – be a welcome addition to the household.

"Go on, Miss Granger," he said, nudging her forward. It was dark, but she reached the gate eventually.

A simple spell emulated the dog's bark. Dumbledore watched as Yaxley left the manor and approached the iron gates where he would soon be greeted.

Much as the Hogwarts headmaster wished to stay, he was needed back at his school. He returned to the village and Disapparated, hoping that his plan would work.

He was relying on it to work.

-GTKY-

There was a pained whimper outside. Yaxley would never have heard it had the night not been so still. At first he had the wild notion that it might be a werewolf, but remembered that the full moon had been the previous week.

This time there was a definite barking yelp as he felt something nearly breach the wards around his property. Usually animals were intuitive enough to avoid the place; but this one, whatever it was, must have been in great distress not to sense the magical barrier.

Wand out and lighting up the path, he walked down to the gates, where he could make out the dark silhouette of a medium-sized dog, shaking on its legs. It was possible that this was an enemy in Animagus form, but there was no way for him to tell unless he dropped the wards so that his magic could get through. He squatted down to get a better look.

It was a breed of sled dog, either a husky or a malamute. He wasn't able to tell much else in the dark, despite the light from his wand, and his priority was to make sure that it wasn't a spy.

After a few minutes of wand-waving and incantations, he concluded that the dog was, in fact, a dog, and he opened the gate. Still it stood there, seemingly unable to move, no doubt freezing. He felt a brief flash of guilt, but there was no way he would have let a member of the Order into his home.

When the dog still didn't move, the wizard stepped forward. The animal looked weak and defeated, and was nowhere near its ideal weight.

Once the gate was closed and the wards back in place, Yaxley carried the pitiful creature up to his manor. Upon entering, he called for his three house elves, Doyle, Lancer, and Lizzy. They appeared as he placed the dog on the divan in the living room.

"Lancer, close the front door," he said, and the elf obeyed with a snap of his fingers. "Doyle, watch the dog. Lizzy, get blankets, warm water, and then come back here. Lancer."

"Yes, master?"

"Go and get Severus Snape, if he's available. He likes you. If he can't come, ask him what he would recommend for a sick dog. This one really doesn't look well." He paused as he looked at the dog. "Is that clear?"

"Yes, master. That is most clear."

"Then go now."

With a 'POP!', Lancer was gone. Yaxley turned back to the husky – he decided that that was his guest's breed – and thought for a moment. Then he knelt by the couch for a better look.

"Hold her head back if she tries to bite me," he said to Doyle.

"Of course, sir. Doyle will be watching."

"Good. Do excuse me," he added to the dog, and then, mindful of claws, he lifted its leg.

It must be said that Doyle had quick reflexes. Before the dog could move half an inch he had grabbed and restrained the snapping jaws.

"Thank you, Doyle," Yaxley said, having only started slightly. "My apologies, my lady." He lowered her leg gently.

"It is a girl dog, sir?" Lizzy asked, appearing at their side.

"Yes, Lizzy. Help me spread these over her, would you?" Both house elves assisted their master in covering the husky, who didn't snap again. She gave them what looked like a token snarl, before settling down with a shiver. Yaxley snapped his fingers and the fire burned brighter.

The next moment, Lancer returned with Professor Severus Snape. He looked harried and frustrated, and made it very clear that he didn't wish to be there.

"What do you want, Yaxley? At this time of night, it had better be serious."

"You look as though _you've_ been hard at it."

"I am a teacher." He crossed his arms. "Now get on with it. Duty awaits." He sneered, which turned into a scowl as Yaxley and the elves moved aside.

"Your patient," he said. Severus was not amused.

"A dog. You got your elf to drag me away from my very important work – at nearly eleven at night – for a _dog_, Yaxley? Are you mad?"

"Severus, she isn't well," he said softly. "I didn't know what else to do, or who to call for at, as you say, such a late hour. Would you really let her die for the sake of marking a few examinations?"

"I have other duties, as the resident potions master," he said, but he walked forward all the same. "When did you become such a bleeding-heart Gryffindor?"

Now it was Yaxley's turn to look unamused.

"Just help her, Severus," he said, standing to the side. "Please?" Lizzy, Lancer and Doyle awaited further instructions in the corner, watching as the professor knelt by the husky and waved his wand over her.

"You are fortunate indeed that I have a Basic Healing Licence," he said, "and that most of these spells work on non-human beings as well."

"Thank you for this, Severus."

"Is she yours?"

"No. I found her outside the gates of the property, and brought her inside. I always wanted a dog when I was a child, but my mother was allergic, and then…" He quickly broke off. "Should I report her as missing?"

"Start with the nearest pounds. She may have escaped from one of them. She bears no collar."

Yaxley felt a bit jealous that the husky was merely watching Severus, not biting or scratching at him, even when he prodded her sides. Just… watched.

Then again, dogs were supposed to be good judges of character. Yet why should Severus Snape – who didn't even wish to examine her in the first place – get higher marks than the one who brought her into his home?

It wasn't fair.

_You child_, Yaxley thought. _All of this over a dog? She may as well be a woman for all the trouble she's already causing!_

-GTKY-

Hermione awoke to a cushiony bed, blankets tucked around her and a fire nearby. It didn't feel like the hospital wing, especially as she was on her side, her tail curled around her legs and the world in black and…

Wait a bit. Tail? _Black and white_?

She sat up straight, knocking the blankets out of the way. Immediately she began to feel woozy, and had to lie down again, sinking her head between her paws, her ears picking up the sound of someone approaching. She tensed as the human came into view and squatted in front of her.

"How are you feeling, girl?" he said. "You weren't too well; it's kept us busy."

She knew she should recognise him, but for the life of her she couldn't work out why. Her brain was fuzzy, and she was having trouble retrieving memories.

But even though she was sure that this human was bad news, there was something in his eyes, in the way that he looked at her with such gentleness and concern, that gave her pause. So, when he reached out a fist, she sniffed it, and then gave it a quick lick. He chuckled, and her tail thumped softly against the bedding in response.

"Would you like some food and drink? You should be able to handle solids now. We had to give you potions while you slept. It's been three days, you know. If you had an owner I'd have cursed them into oblivion for letting you get this sick."

While he spoke he had been placing a tray in front of her, with a bowl of water and one of what looked like cooked chicken and rice, laced with a potion. How she knew it was a potion was beyond her, but her nose knew what it was smelling. The water was untainted, though, so she started with that.

"It's safe," he said, nudging the food bowl forward. "It's got some special potion which will make you strong again. Try some, my lady. You'll feel better for it."

She looked up. The words 'my lady' reminded her of something… Yes! When he checked to find out whether or not she was male or female. At least, she _hoped_ that was what he had been doing.

Then another human had appeared, this one more familiar to her. He smelled of herbs and other things, and despite the urge to gag at some of those scents, she had felt safe with him there. Safer than she should have felt in _this_ place.

Yet this human, who was stroking her neck and behind her ears as she ate – hunger overcoming nervousness – was treating her kindly. The other human – the darker one – gave her the feeling that he had never been kind to her. So why should she trust him more? A person should always be measured by how they treat their inferiors, she believed, and so far this human was proving himself to be the better man.

In a display of tentative trust, or at least approval, she pressed back against his hands, and shivered at the delicious pressure. She heard him laugh again.

"What a beautiful dog you are, when you're all cleaned up," he said. She snorted. "_And_ when you're not clean, of course, my lady."

At his words, she straightened proudly, and then looked him in the eyes.

"That's better," he said, nodding approvingly. "There's a real spark in you, there. You'll make someone a very good pet. I almost wish I could keep you myself, but you may well belong to someone. Or they may belong to you, I should say." He scratched – stroked, really – behind her ears again.

She hoped that her amnesia was temporary. In the meantime, however, this man seemed to be okay. If nothing else, she _was_ feeling stronger after her meal, and her bed was nice and well-padded.

When she tried to leave it, though, she yelped at the pain in her feet. He picked her up straight away and sat on what must have been his own bed.

"You must have walked a great distance," he said, trying to soothe her. "Your paws were in a bad state, much worse than this, when I found you. I suspect that you have a prickly feeling in your feet from not having walked the past few days. Here." He laid her carefully across his lap and then took one of her paws in hand. She had to control her instinct to lash out when he touched the tender pads, but it was worth it. He began a gentle massage that he repeated on her other three feet. Once her front paws were virtually pain-free, she used them to prop herself up while he worked on her back legs. In her bliss, she licked him in thanks, and he laughed.

"Don't distract me," he said. Finally, he finished, then he set her on the floor. "I'll take you to the shelter tomorrow." She cocked her head and whined. "It turns out that you went missing from a pound a week or so ago, but you must have taken the long way here. Hence your condition when you arrived at my gates." He looked her in the eyes. "While I'm very glad to have met you, you mustn't do things like that. Is that clear? You were undernourished, severely so, and having trouble walking due to your injuries." She hung her head, so confused. She barely remembered any of this. She could just about recall hearing a very familiar voice – an aged voice – and then… nothing.

She recalled the feeling of pain and exhaustion, however, and was exceedingly grateful that this human had relieved it.

"Perhaps you should rest further," he suggested. Hermione nodded and yawned, wishing she knew his name. "That was almost human-like, my lady. If I didn't know any better, I would have suspected you of being an Animagus, or a well-Transfigured member of the Order of… well, never mind. It's late. We should both get some sleep. I have to do some more work tomorrow, although I may be able to leave you in the morning. We will see what happens."

He pulled the blankets over her and gave her one last pat on the head. She gave him another lick before he pulled away.

"You're far too beautiful for the likes of Muggles," he said. "Good night, my lady." He smiled as he bowed slightly, before getting into bed. As soon as he was settled, he called out one last good night. She tried to reply in kind, but all she produced was a soft bark.

Head between her paws again, she fretted. This wasn't right. She just knew it wasn't.

A night's sleep, however, would return her memories.

-GTKY-

The decision to call her 'Snowflake' had been easy. She had a small patch of white fur on her side that looked like a snowflake. It was not the most creative of names; but then, he had not planned to keep her.

That was about to change.

-GTKY-

At the kennel, the husky began to fidget. Yaxley frowned as he watched her pace.

"What's the matter, girl?" he asked. She stopped where she was and looked at him. "You ran away in the first place, and I intend to find out why."

"How may I help you, sir?"

He turned at the voice, and immediately felt disgusted. It wasn't just the fact that this was a Muggle, but he was stooped, unkempt, and smelled of something that was more than just dog. He glanced at the counter and found his answer in the tray packed with cigarettes, those filthy Muggle things. The pound itself, a self-proclaimed 'rescue centre', was dingy, and it certainly answered the question of why Snowflake had been so unwell, if this was her usual environment.

"I believe this dog came from here," he said, gesturing to the husky. She looked at him with her liquid brown eyes, and he felt guilty.

"Ah, yes! A fine dog she looks now." The Muggle came forward, but Snowflake bared her teeth at him. Wisely, he halted. "I remember every dog who comes through here on my watch. Huskies are smart dogs, sir." His face crinkled even more when he smiled, showing off crooked, almost black teeth. Yaxley suppressed a shudder. This man made Severus Snape looked like a poster child for hygiene.

"I had noticed," he said.

"She must have known that she was on death row."

Yaxley stared at him. "Death _what_?"

The Muggle shuffled in place, clearly unnerved. "Y-yes, sir. I can't afford to keep 'em all alive until someone takes pity, can I? 'Snot like I get too many customers, is it?" He scratched his head – no doubt dislodging a large number of lice – while he looked at Snowflake. "For the life of me, though, I can't figure how she got out. I keep 'em locked up good and proper."

"Your life?" Yaxley muttered, still stunned by this person's cavalier attitude towards the lives of the dogs he was supposed to be looking after. "Hardly a great loss."

Yet as he reached for his wand, Snowflake whimpered, and he saw the proprietor edging closer to her. Without a second thought, Yaxley stepped to her side, shielding her from the Muggle's view. He looked up, his eyes widening.

"I will take her," Yaxley said. "I give you fair warning: I will _know_ if you attempt to overcharge me. It would be unwise to do so. Is that clear?"

The gleam faded from the Muggle's eyes. "Yes, sir."

Glad that Severus had had the foresight to procure pounds for him, Yaxley paid in Muggle currency, though he was relieved to see the end of it. Thanking the gods for Transfiguration, he took Snowflake straight home, only having to purchase a book on caring for dogs. Anything else he could Transfigure from ordinary objects.

"Welcome home, Snowflake," he said. They stepped into the hall and he looked down at her. "Would you like to know a secret?" She tilted her head. "I would have paid much more for you; but a man like that does not deserve as much as _you_ are worth."

She wagged her tail.

-GTKY-

It didn't take long before Snowflake was following Yaxley around the manor, only waiting outside the bathroom when he told her to. He was convinced that she would follow him in otherwise. Sometimes she tripped over her own feet, as she usually watched only him whenever they walked along.

The inevitable happened. One time she literally got underfoot, and would hardly let him touch her.

"It's your own fault you got stepped on," he grumbled, finally grabbing her injured paw. She yelped, but relaxed when he placed a Numbing Charm on it.

"Is she all right, Master?" Lizzy asked.

"She'll get over it, I imagine," he said, arching an eyebrow at the husky. "She just needs to keep off that foot until it has healed properly. I will ask Severus what he recommends. I refuse to take her to a Muggle vet when magic will make her better." Despite his harsh tone, he was gentle as he stroked Snowflake's head. "You have to be more careful, girl. I don't want you to get hurt. You're mine now, aren't you?"

"Master, the Malfoys and the Lestranges are coming tonight," Lancer reminded him. Yaxley swore.

"Severus is coming, too, isn't he?" The elves nodded. "Damn it all to hell! I forgot."

"We is sorry, Master," Doyle said, all three beginning to cry. Their eyes were certainly swimming with tears.

"'Are', not 'is', Doyle. And it isn't your fault. A certain young lady has been distracting me lately." He smiled as he rubbed Snowflake's furry belly, his mind drifting towards the dinner that evening.

-GTKY-

It was a relief to get dinner out of the way.

Hermione had never thought that she would ever be so excited to see Professor Snape. She had been cold towards all three Malfoys, especially remembering their treatment of Dobby. She had had to exercise great restraint when the Lestranges arrived, desperate to tear their damned throats out.

She could tell that Yaxley was confused, especially when she bounded up to her professor as soon as he walked in the door. He was surprised, too. She could tell.

"You told me she had an injured paw," he said to Yaxley.

"She's just a pup, Severus. What do you expect?"

"Why does _he _get special treatment from your mutt?" Draco asked. Hermione turned her head and growled at him.

"She has met him before," Yaxley said, scowling at the boy, while Professor Snape healed Hermione's paw. She pressed her nose against his hand in thanks.

When it came time to leave, Doyle, Lancer, and Lizzy returned the guests' cloaks. Bellatrix kicked Doyle. For no reason.

Furious, Hermione leapt in front of the house elf and snarled at the witch. It gave her great satisfaction when her enemy backed up a step.

_Take that, you bitch_, Hermione growled.

Bellatrix demanded an explanation. Despite the fact that he was taking care of her, she felt little sympathy for Yaxley. He was, after all, a Death Eater as well; and, her professor excluded, she detested and feared his friends.

"The elves look after her while I am at work, Bellatrix," he said, cool as can be. "And she is about their size. Is it any wonder she will defend them? She may even think of them as part of her pack."

"If you will excuse me, I have marking to complete, and Draco must return to school," Professor Snape said, his voice silkier than ever. "He was fortunate indeed to be granted the time away from school."

School. How Hermione longed to return. But she was stuck until she could figure out how to reverse whatever the headmaster had done, and why he had done it.

The guests were soon seen out the door, and Hermione waited in the bedroom, lying in her doggy bed with her head on her paws and her eyes wide. She was hoping to achieve the puppy-dog-eyes look to get out of trouble.

At least she couldn't apologise. She would have choked on the words.

"Snowflake, you just cannot do that," Yaxley said, squatting in front of her. "I don't like her any more than you do, and I don't approve of the way she treats house elves." She cocked her head, sceptical. "Not all of us are like her." He stroked her back, some of her hackles still raised. Her body arched into his touch. "You are not seeing the best examples of human kind, I'm afraid. I won't invite them again if I can help it, all right?" She remained silent, and he sighed. "We can go for a walk tomorrow morning. How does that sound?"

Instantly perking up, Hermione barked, _Yes!_ Yaxley chuckled.

"Good," he said. "I should get more exercise done, and renew the wards around the village. Good night, girl."

Long after he fell asleep, his words echoed in her mind.

'_Renew the wards'? Surrounding a Muggle village? Why would he protect them? Why doesn't he like his friends? And why is he kind to his house elves?_

-GTKY-

Over the followings day Hermione observed her 'master'. He did treat the house elves well; and when he received a surprise visit from another of his pureblood friends, she overheard him reminding the elves to stay away until his guest left. She also heard Lancer say just how lucky they were to 'have a master like that'.

Yaxley continued to raise himself in her esteem. True to his word, they went for a walk the following morning, where he checked some wards. They also went through the village, although people shot him strange looks. Some of the Muggle children ran over to Hermione, but she shied away from them, overwhelmed by their height and the barrage of smells and noise. She was pleased to note that he reprimanded them quietly for running to a strange dog, and sent them back to their parents.

She still had no clue to his motives, and had no idea how to find out. It was about a week after the dinner that they were in the library. It was torturous, not being able to read, and she couldn't just jump up onto the couch beside him. That would be rude. Also, despite her curiosity and gratitude, she was still wary of him.

Yet then… he started to talk.

"It's a family tradition," Yaxley said, not looking up from his book. "We have always protected the village from the 'forces of evil', even from our own kind, no matter who lives there. Ever since Yaxley Manor was built several centuries ago. I may dislike Muggles, but I follow my family's wishes." He laughed. "Although, I don't really like people in general. I simply honour traditions… and pay my debts." His expression darkened. "I wish that I owed money, not favours. Favours can take forever to repay, and the interest is much steeper, despite their lack of material value."

Hermione whined, disturbed by his change in manner, and leapt gracefully onto the sofa.

"I'm all right, Snow," he said softly, stroking her fur. For the first time, she didn't tense in any way at his touch. "But no favour is worth a price like this."

She was shocked when he raised his left arm slightly.

"I evaded imprisonment by telling a half-truth," he said. "I became a bad person – one of them – because I felt compelled to. There was no real force involved; only a little leaning, and being reminded of… well, you don't want to hear this story." She stared at him as he sat back. "But I feel better for telling someone, Snowflake. I've never had anyone to confide in. Not since… and even then…" Once more, he trailed off, and sighed. "Back to reading. My department is negotiating with vampires at the moment, and I need to do some research."

As he returned to his book, Hermione continued to study him. Finally, slowly, she rested on her front and placed her head on his legs. She noticed him look at her out of the corner of her eye. After a second's pause, he placed his free hand on the back of her neck, and began to stroke.

It was an otherwise uneventful night.

-GTKY-

Hermione's body was visited every day by her friends. It was partly guilt, partly need, but mostly love.

"All of the professors are trying to find a way to bring you back, `Mione," Ron said, holding her left hand. Harry was on the other side of the hospital bed, holding her right.

"Snape – sorry, _Professor_ Snape – told us that we have to do our own work from now on, the slimy git," he said, squeezing her unresponsive hand. "He's forgetting all the times we've had to manage without you. First year, second year, third year…"

"Fourth, fifth, sixth," Ron added. When Harry looked at him, he shrugged. "Flying. And the times we should've done what you told us to. If you were awake now, you'd probably tell us to do our homework."

"And we'd ignore you again," Harry said. "Hermione, wake up. Wake up. Wake up, and tell us to go back to Gryffindor Tower, or the library, or the lake, and make us do our work. Wake up!"

"Mr. Potter, you'll have to leave if you continue to make such a racket," Madame Pomfrey said, frowning at the boys from her desk. Ron sighed.

"Come on, mate," he said. "Hermione's right. We need to do homework."

He was the last to let go of her hand as they left.

-GTKY-

Hermione – in Snowflake's body – felt none of this. She was waiting for her master to come home.

Ever since the night he began to pour his heart out – only two nights ago – she had hung around him more, now observing him for reasons other than mistrust. Whenever she lay across him she would take the opportunity to read whatever he was reading. It had only happened a few times since, due to his work commitments, but he was taking the negotiations – and his studying – seriously.

He had yet to open up again, but she lived in hope.

It was no good trying to eavesdrop on the elves. They had no reason to (conveniently) discuss their master's history in front of her – or at all – and she doubted that a house elf would ever betray their family's trust by…

She was cut off from her thoughts when she heard the sound of Apparation, followed by the slight creak of the gates. By the time she had reached the hallway downstairs, Yaxley was opening the front door.

"I needed fresh air first," he said, removing his coat. Hermione was instantly reminded of his destination when she saw and smelt blood on his person. She ran forward, worried.

"It's not mine, Snowflake," he said reassuringly. "Just some Muggle the Dark Lord gave to me to sort out."

She recoiled in horror.

-GTKY-

_Lord Voldemort was studying Yaxley intently. Slowly, he leaned forward._

"_You bought a dog," he said. Yaxley nodded. "From a Muggle pound?"_

"_Yes, my lord. She was in a bad way, and she provides excellent protection now that she is at full health. And she looks purebred. Much too good to stay in that… that dump of a place."_

"_Is that so?"_

"_It is, my lord. She is more intelligent company than the house elves." Several of the other Death Eaters laughed at that, and Voldemort smiled._

"_What if she is a spy?" he asked, still smiling. But Yaxley, despite the sudden chill in the atmosphere, was unperturbed._

"_The first thing I did was run spells to see if she was an Animagus, or someone who had Transfigured themselves or been Transfigured. But there was no trace of any magic. She is, quite literally, a dog, my lord."_

"_Very well done, Yaxley," he said, sitting back properly. "You can all learn a lesson from his vigilance." He examined the man for a few extra seconds, before nodding, his expression one of satisfaction. "Yes. You should be rewarded for your actions, preserving our cause through your diligence. There is a Muggle in the next room." He tilted his head towards the holding cell for new prisoners. "One of Potter's neighbours. Keep her alive, would you? She will have to be returned to her family." The corners of his lips twisted. "Not necessarily in one piece, of course."_

"_Of course, master," Yaxley said._

"_You are all dismissed." The Death Eaters stood as one. "Have fun, Yaxley."_

"_I will, my lord. Thank you for your generosity."_

"_I understand why you did not feel the need to tell me about your new acquisition," Voldemort said. "But, Yaxley? Do not let it happen again."_

-GTKY-

Yaxley couldn't bear to see Snowflake shy away from him. Things had been going so well, and she seemed concerned about him when he returned, until he mentioned that it was somebody else's blood. He stepped towards her, but she continued to back up, tail between her legs, growling half-heartedly.

"Don't be like that, princess," he said. Yet she refused to look at him. "Perhaps I should never have taken the Mark. But after what happened to my brother, I wanted those Muggles dead. The Dark Lord found them for me in return for my loyalty, and I was able to get my revenge… Why am I explaining myself to a dog?" He sneered, disgusted with his actions. "That's all you are. Nothing but a… a _dog_. An animal, just like a Muggle or a Mudblood."

Snowflake snapped her jaws at him and growled. Then she took off, dashing past him and out the front door, which he hadn't yet closed. Furious, he slammed it shut with magic and marched upstairs.

-GTKY-

Yaxley heard a howl in the distance, somewhere perhaps in the nearby woods. Even though he knew it wasn't Snow, he glanced out the window. The full moon was shining brightly…

Full. Moon?

"Snowflake," he whispered.

Filled with horror, he grabbed his wand and ran downstairs. The front door opened and then closed behind him with wordless magic.

"Point me," he said. His wand spun around in his palm, and he recalled the day he used the same charm to find his brother. That same day…

Finally, his wand lay still, and he ran in that direction, calling out for Snowflake as soon as he reached the forest.

He had enough sense to mark a trail, all the while calling her name and using the Point-Me spell. But when he heard the sound of fighting he ran straight there, recognising Snowflake's high-pitched snarls.

She was facing off against a huge werewolf. She had no clear injuries, but Yaxley feared that it was only a matter of time, and tried to work out how to help her without risking either of their lives. And he had no idea who the werewolf was… though if it hurt Snow, he _would_ kill it.

Suddenly, the wolf turned and looked at Yaxley, sniffing the air. It bared its teeth and the man tensed, wondering what the hell he could do, short of using an Unforgivable.

Just as the wolf took a step towards its human prey, Snowflake ran forward and managed to knock it over. Her jaws closed over its side and she tore a chunk of flesh from its bones. It gave an outraged roar and sent her flying into a tree with one kick. She yelped upon impact and fell to the ground.

The werewolf skilfully avoided Yaxley's stream of curses, badly-aimed as they were. All the while, he was edging closer to his husky, ready to Apparate her out of there.

But the fight wasn't over yet. The wolf crouched low, ready to pounce. Snowflake jumped up, surprising both, and made for the right. When the wolf leapt that way she moved back and attacked as it passed. The beast twisted around and tried to grab her. It succeeded in scratching her muzzle and raking another claw across her back.

Hearing her pained yelp, Yaxley ran to her aid. With greater strength than he thought he had possessed, he shoved the werewolf away and grabbed hold of Snowflake.

Sudden pain seared through his shoulder. He felt the wolf move away and turned.

"Avada Kedavra!" he hissed, his aim now steady, and the green flash met its mark.

Before the body hit the ground, Yaxley had Disapparated with his Snow.

* * *

><p><strong>Clearly this will be somewhat patchy, in that this was written in excerpts in no particular order, and there are gaps of time between some scenes, and sometimes there are just changes in point-of-view. Any questions you have will no doubt be cleared in the next two chapters, so please be patient.<strong>

**This is another Hermione/Yaxley story from yours truly. I haven't given him a first name in this, because I really couldn't be bothered. I'll tell you one thing: I'm looking forward to the day that the Harry Potter encyclopaedia is published.**

**Hoping you all enjoy it! I've also made a banner.**


	2. Part 2

"Getting to Fall in Love With You"

"Lizzy!"

"Yes, master? Oh!" The house elf hurried forward. "You is hurt, master."

"Tend to her first," he said, placing Snowflake on the couch. "It was a wolf." He stood back. "Get the other elves. I must contact a friend. He can help."

"Master, you is pale," Lizzy said. "You must sit down, or you will fall over."

Yaxley could see the wisdom in this.

"Very well," he muttered. "Doyle! Lancer!" The two male house elves appeared. "Doyle, help Lizzy. Lancer, get Severus Snape. Now." He sat beside Snowflake and gazed at her softly. She whimpered when Lizzy touched the gash, which ran from the left side of her stomach to her right flank, bleeding profusely. Fortunately, the scratch on her nose was less severe, but blood kept trickling into the dog's nose, so she had to keep sneezing it out.

"You were so brave, girl," he said, and he picked up her left paw. She growled weakly, and he realised that there were burrs and small rocks stuck in and between the pads of soft flesh. Carefully, he began to extract them, not even noticing that Doyle was tending to his shoulder. He was so intent on helping Snowflake without hurting her that he didn't notice anything else until Severus poured antiseptic potion onto his wound. He gasped and sat up properly.

"What the _bloody_ hell…"

"What happened?" Severus asked.

"Werewolf," Yaxley said; and, despite the new but fading pain, he started on the last paw. "My beautiful dog defended me."

"Take off your shirt. I must examine the wound." When Yaxley winced as he tried to comply, the potions master used magic to make it disappear.

"What are you looking for?"

"What do you think, you fool? We need to ascertain whether you were bitten or scratched, and the extent of the damage. More bloody Wolfsbane to brew," he added in a mutter. Yaxley paled further. "You should go to St. Mungo's…"

"No!" he said. "No one must know. You are fully aware of the prejudices against werewolves. Look at Lupin."

"You are injured…"

"And you can heal me," he said. "For Salazar's sake, help Snowflake! She saved my life."

"Why were you out there in the first place?" he asked.

"That… is unimportant, Severus."

"Indulge my curiosity. Your elves told me that you returned like this, and judging by your states you were in a forest, likely the one nearby. What reason could you have to be outside during the full moon? It cannot be certain potion ingredients…"

"I frightened her away," he snapped. Snow was staring up at him, and he looked away, feeling guilty. "I realised later what tonight was, and left in search of her, fearing for her safety. I was right to do so, as it turns out."

"And for that reason you may have condemned yourself to a life of lycanthropy. Oh, very well done, Yaxley."

"It's better than a life without my princess," he said, now stroking the knots and bits of twigs out of her coat. Severus snorted.

"The antiseptic must be rendering you insensible if you are waxing poetic about a dog, whose life expectancy is far less than your own," he said, finishing his examination and cleaning the area around the wound. Yaxley froze. "Your chances do not look good. I will brew a batch of Wolfsbane and you must prepare an appropriate room for your transformation… just in case. Will you tell the Dark Lord?"

"No," he said. "He cannot help. He can only punish me for my 'foolish' actions, as you called them."

"I was referring to you, not your actions. _They_ were disgustingly noble."

Snowflake barked half-heartedly.

"Did you hear that, princess? I behaved nobly."

Severus rolled his eyes as he muttered, "Not quite the same thing." He grimaced at the almost sappy smile on his friend's face. "I will give you both something to help you sleep. Perhaps you will think clearly in the morning?"

"Severus?"

"Yes?"

"I killed the wolf."

"…Very well."

-GTFILWY-

His heightened sense as he got closer to the transformation disoriented him. The Wolfsbane had smelt and tasted horrible, and he could smell Snowflake and the house elves in every room. He could even hear them moving around nervously, in case they were needed.

The door locked on timed magic, and he doubled over in pain as the dreaded event commenced. It seemed to take an age as bones and muscles and organs shifted, as hands and feet became paws, and as his face morphed into that of a wolf.

Thanking Severus Snape and the inventor of Wolfsbane potion, he relaxed when he realised that his mind truly was intact. It was then that he recognised the presence of a female.

_Snowflake_! he whined. _Why are you here? How did you get in?_

_Magic_, she replied. He snorted. _You shouldn't be alone, and you won't hurt me. If it wasn't for me, we wouldn't be here. You would never have been in this situation_.

_At least we can talk now_, he said, padding over to her. _And don't blame yourself for this_. He rubbed his head against hers, and they whuffled to each other. _Thank you for being here, even though you disobeyed my orders_.

_I will only ever do so for your own protection_, she barked, and then she rolled onto her back. He growled deeply at this show of submission, but then reminded himself that this was his princess, his dog… his friend.

_Do you wish to play_? he asked. She woofed her acceptance, and for the next hour or so they gambolled about the room, tackling each other, tumbling around, chasing and hiding until they curled up together, both exhausted from their antics.

Snowflake looked up at him from where she lay tucked into his body.

_Same time next month_? she said. He hesitated, then answered with a wolfish smile.

_I look forward to it_, he said, and they settled down to sleep.

-GTFILWY-

Hermione awoke to find Yaxley's arm draped over her middle, the light flooding into the room through the small, single window. She wriggled away and stood up. She shook herself off, then turned around.

Gods, he looked young, and so very vulnerable, in his tattered clothes which had reappeared after he transformed back. They had still been tired from the previous night, and the trauma to his body had all but knocked him out, even if it was only for a couple of hours.

She quickly realised what had woken her. One of the house elves was knocking at the door. She woke her master up the gentlest way she could: licking his face until he came to.

"Wha…? Oh! Good morning, Snow," he said, rubbing his eyes. "What a nightmare." Then he looked down at the shredded material. "Oh gods. It really did happen, didn't it?" She barked. "I feel like I have the worst hangover."

"Master?" It was Doyle. "Is you okay, master?"

"_We're_ fine," Yaxley said, glaring at the door. "I will have words with you later about how Snowflake managed to get into the room." She whined and put a paw on his arm. "Unless you'd like to tell me?" She cocked her head. "I thought not." He chuckled and stroked her fur. "Did I look a fright, Snowflake? I don't remember much… I didn't _hurt_ you, did I?" She shook herself again, showing that she was all right. He relaxed.

-GTFILWY-

On one of their walks to the nearby village Hermione began to feel a bit… odd. She could sense other dogs nearby – male dogs – and she couldn't help but get excited.

When they passed one cottage the dog there ran to the fence and began to bark, jumping at the fence and trying to get over. She realised some of the things he was barking, but her human mind forced her back to her master's side. She hadn't even noticed that she'd been straying, and wondered if everyone could see her blush through her thick fur.

"Snowflake," Yaxley said. There was a definite warning tone in his voice. She looked up at him, ashamed. Damn this dog's body.

_Sorry_, she whined. _I couldn't help it_.

He stopped and pulled her to heel. Then he squatted in front of her.

"Are you in heat?" he asked. She hung her head, and he sighed deeply. "Snowflake, you're better than any of them. They're all common. You're… special. A princess." He scratched behind her ears as he held her head. "_My_ princess. You won't find the dog for you among this lot." He tilted his head to indicate the whole village. "You're made for grander things, princess. All right?"

Her heart swelled with affection for this man. She wouldn't let him down. So she barked once and took a few steps in the direction of the estate. Yaxley laughed and stood up.

"Anything you say, my lady," he said, and they strolled home.

-GTFILWY-

"Have I told you about my brother, Snow?" Yaxley asked. She almost shook her head, then realised that that would hardly be canine behaviour. So she merely waited for him to continue.

And yet… he seemed to be having difficulty with that. She nudged him, and he draped an arm around her. They had grown closer since they protected each other, and since she stayed with him for his transformation.

"It was my fault that he died." He breathed in and out slowly. "We… we had an argument. You see, I was almost a year older than him, but he was bigger, _and_ more overbearing.

"When we were thirteen – a few days before my fourteenth birthday – the subject of inheritance came up. I cannot recall why. It was holiday time, so we were at home for the summer." He looked out the window and across the grounds. "You will love it here in summer, Snowflake. At least, I _hope_ you will."

_If I'm still here_, Hermione thought, gazing up at his face, with its wistful expression.

"He was saying that, as the stronger of us, he should inherit first. I was never one to argue about money; it never really interested me. I'm more family-oriented. But he had brought up the subject, so – as tradition dictates – I debated the matter with him. Unfortunately, Bartholomew was never one to use words when physical violence could be used."

Hermione felt him begin to tremble and shuffled closer, so that half of her was stretched over his lap. Yaxley looked down at her and half-smiled.

"Man's best friend, indeed," he said. "Bartholomew had a habit of under-estimating me. Yes, he ended up beating me, but I still got one hit to his ear. When it came to fighting with me, he didn't like to use magic. Being a year ahead of him at Hogwarts, I knew more spells, and I was also more accurate with my casting.

"At that age, he was just a bit taller than I, but I was so surprise that I managed to hit his left ear that he nearly knocked me out. But… but his balance was all off after that."

Yaxley's voice caught, and Hermione laid her head against his chest and listened to his racing heart.

"I've never talked to anyone about this before," he said. "We healed ourselves and didn't tell Mother and Father, since Mother hated it when we fought, and she wasn't well." He stroked Hermione's head as he spoke. "We… we didn't know what it was until too late."

Her heart broke for him. Now she knew why he sometimes called out in his sleep. Forgetting once again that she was a dog, she pressed her muzzle against him. He chuckled.

"That's cold, princess," he said, pushing her away gently, but still holding onto her. Then he sobered. "You don't judge me, do you?" She could only look at him, and hope that it was enough. "My brother died because of me, but… but you don't hate me, Snowflake, do you?"

_Of course not!_ she barked. _Not now._

"I used to blame the Muggles," he said, now staring off into space. "That was why… You see…"

He stood suddenly, knocking her to the floor, but in his agitation he didn't notice.

"He was at a bridge," he said. "Mother's condition was worsening, so I was sent to find him. I… I used magic, of course. Got into trouble with the Ministry, but they let it slide in light of… When I got there, he was arguing with some Muggle teenagers, older than us. One of them pushed him – actually, I think a couple of them – and he fell. The sides of the bridge weren't that tall, and he went right over the edge, into the water.

"The river was shallow, but fast. When the Muggles saw what had happened they ran off, but I was too busy trying to save Bartholomew.

"I couldn't see him at first. Then I saw that he was stuck between two boulders. His head was underwater, and… he wasn't struggling. By the time I got to him… and _gods_, the water was cold… by the time I had freed him and got him to the bank… it was too late. No matter what I tried, nothing worked."

He dropped to his knees and hung his head. Hermione padded over to him.

"It's been twenty-five years since that day," he whispered. "Twenty-five years… _today_… since his funeral." He glanced at her. "It's my thirty-ninth birthday, beautiful. And all I can think about is the fact that he would have been thirty-eight by now."

She sat beside him and pressed her body close to his. He looked at her with watery eyes.

"I blamed the Muggles for years," he said. "But then one day I broke. It was my fault. He wasn't at home because he was avoiding me; I took my time finding him for the same reason. I never got to apologise…

"Every time I dream about that day, I say that I'm sorry… but I can never say it when I'm awake."

He knelt in silence for a while. Eventually, he got to his feet, and she followed. Now, more than ever, she had to keep an eye on him.

-GTFILWY-

That night was worse than the others. He was crying out in his sleep; only now Hermione understood what it was about. She could see him thrashing about, reaching out, and knew that he was trying to save his brother. As always, he would fail…

Or not.

Without another thought, she crossed the room and leapt onto the bed. Carefully negotiating his limbs and the twisted sheets, she placed herself in the way. Soon, she was being hauled into his arms, and almost immediately he stilled. At first, she feared that he had woken up. But then he spoke.

"I'm sorry, Bartholomew," he said. "Please forgive me."

She nodded her head against his chest, and when she felt him relax she looked up.

He was sleeping peacefully, and had a smile on his face.

The moment his arms went limp she climbed down, and then dragged her doggy bed next to his, before settling down for the second time that night.

-GTFILWY-

Now that they felt that it was safe enough to roam the manor, they had more room to run about, just as long as the elves stayed out of the way.

Yaxley ground to a halt in front of the floor-length mirror in the hall, and stared at the wolf – the werewolf – in his reflection.

Snowflake came back and sat beside him, offering her silent support as he agonised over the image.

_I'm hideous. I'm not human anymore_.

_Not right now_, she replied. _But in the morning…_

_In the morning I'll still be a monster_, he barked, turning his back on the mirror.

Slowly, she walked around until she stood in front of him, and he stared down into her warm eyes. Ashamed, he looked away again. She stepped closer.

_I don't see a monster_, she said. _I see someone who took on a werewolf to save his dog's life. I see someone brave, who didn't deserve what happened to him. I see someone worthy of good things, even love_. She rubbed her head against his, before giving him a playful nip behind the ear. Then she bounded away several feet, before turning around and cocking her head.

He inwardly grinned at the husky's blatant challenge, and began to chase her around the manor.

Unfortunately for her, she soon encountered a dead end of sorts, and he stalked towards her. The glint must have shown in his eyes, because her tail tucked between her legs. Before he could pounce she threw herself onto her back, showing her submission as usual. Nevertheless, he jumped forward and stood over her body, growling softly and showing her who was boss.

She whimpered, her eyes fixed on him. They gazed at each other for an age, unmoving aside from the breaths they took.

But the Wolfsbane managed to work its way through the fog of his lupine instincts, and he backed away from temptation's door. He couldn't claim his _dog_! If she had been an Animagus or a fellow werewolf, that would be one thing. But she was neither, and his wolf's mating urges had to be suppressed before she noticed.

Snowflake stood as soon as she was able to, but didn't seem as affected as he had been. Of course, he _was_ the Alpha male, and she wasn't 'in heat'. That made a difference.

If it had been mating season, he would have made her his, and damn the consequences. There was no way his human mind could have overcome something that strong.

_Race you back to our room_? he asked. She barked 'yes', and they took off.

He could feel guilty in the morning.

-GTFILWY-

It was a cold night; there was no denying it. Probably the coldest night of winter so far. Even with the huge blaze in his bedroom's fireplace and the numerous blankets on his bed, Yaxley was still feeling chilled. There was no doubt that his princess, his Snowflake, would be all right, with her ancestral advantage of thick layers of fur.

"Good night, Snow," he said, still shivering a bit as he pulled the covers closer. She tilted her head, watching him, and then broke the no-bed rule by crossing the room in three leaps and jumping on top of him. Ignoring his protests and half-hearted attempts to push her away, she scrabbled under the sheets and pressed herself up against him, her cold nose touching his chin. His expression softened as he looked down into her golden-brown eyes.

"All right," he whispered, and he smiled. "You can stay. But _just_ for tonight."

She seemed to snort at that, and wriggled around so that her furry back cushioned his front. His smile widened and he threw one arm over her warm body and shuffled closer. He used wandless magic to tuck the blankets in around them, and then both drifted off into an undisturbed slumber.

-GTFILWY-

Oh gods, why did her heat have to coincide with the full moon? He had always kept her away from other dogs – male dogs – as he refused to deny her the joys of motherhood, should she ever want pups.

"There I go, pretending that she's human again," he said as he paced the locked room. Admittedly, he could now _ask_ her if the wanted a mate – a thought which made him growl – but not tonight. No. Never tonight.

He was so caught up in his musing that he not only forgot about the impending change, but also forgot to take his Wolfsbane Potion in time…

-GTFILWY-

The next morning came far too early, and was far too bright. Yaxley groaned as he sat up, and winced at the pain in his hands. Then it all came back to him.

_The agony of his first change without the potion… seeing things through the eyes of his wolf… being forced to surrender control… knocking over the table with the Wolfsbane and hearing the vial shatter on impact…_

Then further horror flooded him as he recalled the next moments of a terrible night.

_His senses were so much more acute… there was the scent of a bitch around… and on _him_… it nearly drove him wild… he had to find her, and… and there it was_!

He moaned, sinking his head into his aching hands. He was so used to having her calming presence nearby that he had warded her into a room within smelling distance. Of course, he had been counting on the Wolfsbane to suppress his urges. If only he had taken it earlier! Then…

_It took half an hour of throwing his full weight against the door, but he succeeded… then he was down the hallway until he reached… wait… she was in heat… the she-dog he wanted was in heat!_

"Snowflake," Yaxley said, looking up.

_He howled… she replied… this door was tougher to break down… she backed off, no longer as eager… but she was his, and he had to show her…_

"Oh, Salazar, princess," he said, staring at her.

_The magic buckled under the strength of his body and his desire… it was no match for his want… it gave way in only seconds…_

"Snow, I'm so sorry," he whispered.

-GTFILWY-

Hermione stared at the Death Eater, just as he was looking at her. Yes, he was human now, but he hadn't been last night, not when he broke into her sanctuary.

_At first, the male excited her… then she remembered who she really was… he was determined to get in… she tried to discourage him… then the door caved in… half of her wanted this, but her human mind was terrified… before he could get to her, Doyle appeared, snapped his fingers, and the werewolf was out like a light…_

The house elves had managed to keep Yaxley unconscious all night, even through his change, and comforted her with treats and kind words.

"I can't remember what happened after I got in," Yaxley said, running an hand through his hair. "Please talk to me." He shut his eyes. "Sorry. I mean… if I hurt you… if we m-mated, I'd never forgive myself."

"We took care of her, master," Lizzy said. He noticed the elves' presence for the first time.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Forgive us, master!" Doyle said, weeping into the corner of his pillowcase. "But we had to do it. You told us to look after Snowflake."

"What happened?"

"We had to make you stay asleep all night, sir," Lancer said when the other two started to cry openly. Yaxley tilted his head.

"So you stopped me from hurting Snowflake?"

"Yes, master."

"As I told you to?"

"Yes, master."

He sighed. "None of you are _ever_ to apologise for doing that again. You must protect her from harm, even if that means subduing me. Have I not made myself clear?" He looked at Hermione. "She means the world to me."

She had been watching him as he fretted at first, before relaxing once he knew that he had done her no harm. Her canine senses picked up on his emotions; but the most overwhelming feeling she got from him was one of deep affection. Coupled with his words, she had a moment of revelation, terrifying and wonderful in equal measure.

He tensed visibly as she approached him. Instead of reprimanding him, however, she nudged his arms aside and crawled into his lap. Slowly, he held her close, and she let him rearrange her into a more comfortable position for both of them.

"Next full moon you will stay with Severus," he said, stroking her underbelly. "I'll not risk such a thing happening against, princess."

Safe in his arms, Hermione Granger knew that there was no point in wondering how she came to fall in love with her master, one of her enemies. She knew that moments such as these were the cause.

She settled, content in this knowledge, as she caught up on her sleep.

-GTFILWY-

Many nights later, Yaxley was watching his dog sleep. Her luscious coat surrounded his fingers like a thousand threads of silk, and he felt so safe with her, just as he felt protective. The protective side came not just from his human side, but the wolf within, who growled whenever another male came near. Even Doyle and Lancer seemed suspicious to the wolf, and it made Yaxley wonder whether the feeling would ever desert him. He maintained a calm façade at all times, but near the full moon…

Severus' words still haunted him. Dogs had much shorter life spans than the average wizard, even one cursed with lycanthropy. It would pain his human self to lose Snowflake, as he likely would one day. Yet he would hardly have died from it.

But every day their bond strengthened, to the point where his wolf was carnally attracted to the husky. _His_ husky. And perhaps more than just carnally. It had to be his love for this dog that somehow affected him as a werewolf, and it was bad. Not only for his innocent Snowflake, but for him. He had done his research – Severus had helped – and when a werewolf chose a mate it was forever. Even if they never bonded, the wolf would die if its chosen did. Straight away, if they mated; if not, the pining and heartache would take its toll and end in death after a few months.

Pulling her closer, Yaxley settled down around her body. The thought of their deaths had chilled him to the bone, and he felt the need to be closer to her. Her gentle breaths calmed and warmed him, even though he was still unable to sleep.

For now wild thoughts occupied his mind. The day he was Sorted into Slytherin, with his determination to be the best, his knowledge and grasp of the Dark Arts, and the fact that it never crossed his mind to be in any other house. After all, most of his family – the ones not disowned for being in Gryffindor – were in Slytherin, but for the few swots who landed in Ravenclaw. Studious as he could be, Yaxley's passion lay in other directions, directions which had led him to this point.

No parents. No brother. No family of his own. He wanted a family, but had never really known how to find the right person, as no match was ever made for him. With his mother's early death and his father's breakdown and eventual suicide out of grief, not to mention the lack of suitable witches, no plans eventuated. Yes, there had been rogue thoughts about trying a half-blood or Muggleborn, but such notions had been instantly dismissed.

Now, despite the Mark on his arm, Yaxley found himself wishing that he had done something sooner. Then the wolf wouldn't be constantly encouraging him towards Snow, his sweet pet. It was dangerous to share a bed with her. While he had no strong feelings – _none_ of those feelings – for her when in human form, the full moon changed that. Even the Wolfsbane could be rendered ineffective if she was too near, and whenever he recalled the time she was in heat…

He shuddered, and tried to focus on his original train of thought.

After he moved in with the Mulcibers, still plotting his revenge on the Muggles who killed his brother, also bringing about the early deaths of his parents, they began to entice him to join the Dark Lord. They tested him, tantalised him, and even guilt-ed him into taking the Dark Mark. At the time, he had revelled in the pain, feeling as though he deserved it, and knowing that it would lead to great things. Voldemort helped him by finding the Muggles, and cemented Yaxley's loyalty with that single gesture.

Snowflake's gentleness was something he had been missing most of his life. Dogs were supposed to be good judges of character, and he always noticed how she had to restrain herself around some of his friends. Yet her mistrust of them caused him to question whether or not they really _were_ his friends. Over time, he had begun to measure people by Snow's reaction to them, and even adjusted his own behaviour according to what pleased her.

The first big change was in relation to the house elves. He had been taught to be polite by his mother, and so he never behaved otherwise to them… in private. But his father and brother – and most of Pureblood society – didn't think of their slaves as anything other than objects. Thus, the way he treated them in front of most people.

Now he had toned it down in public, and he was friendlier – even caring – in private, and his princess openly approved.

Yes. Changes were happening. The Muggles nearby were accepted by Snowflake, and it occurred to him that she would have no concept of blood purity and the superiority of magic. To her, they were all humans, and she just read their souls. Why she seemed to care about him was unfathomable – he was as damaged as nearly every one of his acquaintances – but he wasn't going to question it.

"I… regret it," Yaxley said quietly. "I never should have become a Death Eater. You hate the things that I do, you hate most of the people who visit, and I _hate_ all of those things, too. If I could go back in time I would change it all. I would have spoken to Dumbledore about my situation, or refused to join the Dark Lord's forces, and taken death as the only alternative. Then I wouldn't have to disappoint you."

He gazed down at her. He hesitated, and then kissed the top of her head, right between her ears. The fur tickled his nose.

"I wish I was like you," he said. Then he pulled the covers up with his free hand, and soon fell asleep.

-GTFILWY-

It was the full moon after Hermione had discovered her true feelings for her master. The last few days had involved her psyching herself up to spend the night with him, as she fully intended to do so. She stayed by his side from the night before until he went to work, and then from the moment he got home until it was time to take the Wolfsbane.

"You _must_ stay away from me tonight, girl," he said, glancing down at her as he uncorked the glass bottle. He drank the potion while she watched. There was no way she was leaving him. Even if she hadn't been in love with him, the last thing she wanted to do was remind him of what happened by keeping her distance. Professor Snape would forever be in her debt for his dressing-down of Yaxley, since it compelled him to keep her at the manor. There was no way she wanted to risk meeting the headmaster, in case he took her body or – worse than that – reversed the spell and consequently revealed all.

Too much was on the line; too much was at risk.

The moment moonlight entered the room, Yaxley's transformation began. Hermione danced around him, anxious and guilty as always. If she hadn't run away, if she hadn't encountered the she-wolf, if her master hadn't cared enough to come for her, then he would never have had to suffer such pain every month. But, thanks to her, he was condemned.

_Thank you_, she said, sidling up to the wolf in front of her.

_For what_? he asked.

_For saving me_, she said. _I don't think I've said it yet, so I'm saying it now. Thank you for rescuing me time and again._ She rubbed her head against his side. _You're the kindest master I have _ever_ had._

_And the most dangerous_, he said, turning his head. His amber eyes were getting darker. _Snowflake, you mustn't be here. I could hurt you this time._

_Don't you want me here_?

_Yes_! he barked. Then he returned to their previous canine chatter. _But I love you too much to allow you to get hurt._

Hermione's heart leapt, only to shatter when she remember that any romance between them was doomed.

_I wish I could be a mother_, she whimpered, unwittingly saying the words aloud. Yaxley sat abruptly.

_You want to have puppies_? he said. She froze.

_Well… I… uh… yes._ She slumped. _Yes, I want to have puppies_. She left out that she wanted him to be the father.

_How long have you felt this way?_

_Not long_, she said, her whine so quiet that she wondered if he heard it. Of course, with his enhanced hearing…

_Was it because of me_? Yaxley asked, standing up. When she remained silent he took a step forward. When she looked away he moved back. _Snowflake, I cannot… I'm so… If only last month had never happened!_ He walked away. Hermione bounded after him.

_It's only natural_, she said, and she placed a paw on his hunched over form. _I _am_ still young, and you're a very handsome wolf. Don't laugh at me! It's true_. She shuffled on her paws. _I am tired._

She curled up near the table, her head immediately dropping onto her paws.

_Good night, princess_, Yaxley said.

_Do you really love me_? she asked. His scent overwhelmed her as he curled around her figure, returning things to normal.

_You're my best friend, Snowflake, and the most wonderful companion a wizard could ask for. You have saved me from loneliness, and will be the perfect pet if ever I marry and have children._

Hermione's broken heart sank further. Weren't they the words every girl in love wanted to hear?

-GTFILWY-

"Sometimes I hate my life," Yaxley muttered, stroking Snowflake's head and occasionally scratching behind her ears. She whimpered and moved so that she could lick his hand. He chuckled. "Except for you. You are the one good thing in my world, Snowflake. I have no parents or siblings, no wife or children," he didn't notice her tense at that, "and I only had house elves to keep me company… until you came along."

She whined and placed her head in his lap. He pondered for a moment, and then reached down and hauled her into his arms, cradling her the way he had the night they met. The night he found her… or had she found him? Sometimes he wondered…

"People don't respect me at work; they fear me," he said. "I used to enjoy it, but now it grows tiresome when my only 'friends' aren't really my friends. But you seem to give a damn whether I live or die, princess. You would miss me if I was gone, wouldn't you?"

He cradled her face in his hands now, and she could read the worry and desperation in his eyes, eyes which were usually so cold and unfeeling.

_I wish I could talk_! she thought. _I wish I could tell you_!

She did the only thing that she could. She pressed her cold, wet nose against his, saw tears forming in his eyes, and turned her face away, instead rubbing her furred cheek against his unshaven one. He wrapped his arms around her and her heart fairly broke in two when she heard a sob, muffled by her coat.

"You beautiful girl," he whispered, holding her tightly. "You beautiful, beautiful dog, Snow. I love you so much." He kissed the top of her head. "I love you."

_I… oh, I love you, too_! she said, half-barking the words, and licked the only part of him she could reach, just under his chin. She was distressed to taste the salt of his tears and snuggled closer, desperate to comfort him. She never thought that she could feel this way about a Death Eater, but she did, desperately. If it wasn't for the fact that he was so evil, she would wish that he could reciprocate her feelings… but he couldn't. He loved his dog, and not in a romantic way. That would be wrong on so many levels.

Oh, why did this have to happen? Damn Albus Dumbledore!

"What's the matter, Snowflake?" Yaxley asked, alarmed when she had tensed and started to growl softly. She snapped out of it and looked up at him. She tapped his leg with a paw, pretending to reprimand him for being so melancholy. Anyone would think he was PMS-ing. He laughed again, and placed her on the floor. "Do you want to go for a run?"

_Yes_! she barked. Privately, she thought, _Anything to distract you, and myself, from our depressing thoughts._

-GTFILWY-

"I have to go now, love," Yaxley said, stroking the top of her furry head. Her heart leapt at the term of endearment. "The Dark Lord has Summoned us. He is excited." He slipped into his Death Eater robes. "This is it. I can feel it. Potter's going down, and our world will be pure, just as… as it should be." He paused in picking up his mask. She growled, trying to hate him. "No, Snowflake. You must stay here. I refuse to have you on the battlefield. It's much too dangerous for you."

_Don't go_, she pleaded in a whine. He squatted before her.

"I'll be all right," he said. "I have a good reason to live." He pulled her towards him in a one-armed embrace, and kissed her. He inhaled deeply. "Stay here, Snow. I'll be back before you know it."

She followed him to the gate silently. It wasn't just a fear for his safety. She had to be there for Harry. Somehow, she had to help the Light, all while keeping her master safe.

Before he could Disapparate, she latched onto the back of his right boot, and disappeared along with him.

When they arrived at Hogsmeade, she couldn't help feeling ashamed at the look of disbelief on his face.

"I…" He turned angry. "I told you to stay at home!"

At that point, Hermione couldn't care less. Then she saw someone aiming a wand at them, and barked loudly. Yaxley turned, and cast a shield in time, one which blasted their attacker backwards. She felt some small amount of guilt that it was probably a member of the Order.

He looked down at her.

"Thank you," he said. But then he frowned again. "Now go home, Snowflake. It's too… Come back!"

-GTFILWY-

She had started to run up towards Hogwarts, barely dodging curse after curse, jinx after jinx, hex after hex. Without giving it another thought he took off after her. There was no way he was going to let something happen to his dog; not after all the dangers they had faced together. She was the only one who understood him, who _loved_ him…

"Snowflake! Come back!"

A spell grazed his forehead as he ran, and he spun around, seeing Snowflake stop just out of the corner of his eye. He was shocked to see that it was Fenrir Greyback who was snarling at him, wand trained on his chest.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Greyback?"

"That was a member of my pack you killed," he said.

"What are you…"

"I saw you kill her!" Greyback bellowed. "She was going to be my mate, and you killed her, all over… that _thing_!" He gestured towards Snowflake, who was watching them.

"Get out of here, Snow!" Yaxley shouted, now facing off against the werewolf. "For your information, Greyback, your she-wolf attacked us. I was trying to get my pet out of there, that's all. It was self-defence."

"You murdered her!"

"She hurt Snowflake!"

Then they duelled.

-GTFILWY-

Hermione was torn between going up to the school and staying by her master's side.

Damn it! Why did she keep thinking like a dog?

The fighting was gaining in intensity, both the private battle between Yaxley and Greyback and the battle taking place up at the school.

"When you're gone, Yaxley, who'll look after your little princess?"

The Death Eater paled, and his movements became more erratic, his accuracy less pronounced. She knew that this wasn't a good sign.

He needed her, just as much as she needed him.

-GTFILWY-

He was out of control, or very nearly there. He knew it, and he could tell that Greyback knew it, too. The werewolf grinned, all his horrible teeth displayed, as they traded curses, verbal and non-verbal. The taunting continued.

"Now when I kill you it'll just look like someone else has done it," Greyback said.

There was a flash of brown and white nearing them, but Yaxley was more focussed on getting rid of his opponent to keep…

"Avada Kedavra!" Greyback shouted, a split second before Yaxley could defend himself. But before the Unforgivable could hit its target…

* * *

><p><strong>Gah! See you next chapter.<strong>


	3. Part 3

"Getting to Keep You"

Hermione awoke with a gasp. She looked around, disoriented to see everything in colour. She'd had the strangest dream, and wondered what had woken her.

There it was. The sounds of battle. Hogwarts was under attack!

She stood, and nearly fell over her own two feet. Two. She had four in her dream.

"The hospital wing," she said, only her voice was scratchy from disuse. She shook her head, wondering what was going on. The last thing she remembered was throwing herself in front of a Killing Curse to protect her master, the master she loved…

"Oh god! Yaxley!" she whispered loudly. She ran to the window and could see hundreds, maybe even thousands, of people duelling. She could see giants, Acromantulas, Dementors, all sorts of creatures.

She looked around for her wand and found it in a glass case by the bed, like some weird version of Snow White. She heard – and smelled – someone coming. Medicinal…

"Miss Granger?" Madame Pomfrey said, staring at the girl in shock. "You're… you're awake? But the headmaster said…"

Now Hermione could remember. At the thought of her master – the Death Eater – she remembered every single moment, including a vague memory of Dumbledore changing her mind with that of a dog. How… how _could_ he?

"I have to get down there," she said, and she threw the glass case against the wall. With little regard for any tiny shards of glass, she picked up her wand and ran from the infirmary, ignoring the matron's calls.

Many looked up in shock as she ran past, bolting through the halls, using her heightened sense of smell to find her mast… Yaxley. Her exceptional dog-like hearing picked up spells before they were even used, especially soft-spoken ones, and defended herself and others on the way, still searching.

Finally, she found him out on the lawn, not even noticing Dumbledore's shock as she pelted down the hillside towards the masked Death Eater she knew to be her master. He was fighting whoever dared to attack him, and she saw a mangled body nearby, unsure who it was. But she would lay any odds that it was the person who 'killed' her.

Just behind Yaxley was the body of a dog; Hermione's borrowed body. She recalled having followed her master to Hogwarts, and sacrificing herself to save him from someone, presumably the unrecognisable corpse.

Yaxley seemed to hesitate when he turned his wand on Hermione, and she took her chance.

"I don't know how it happened!" she shouted. His mouth pursed. "Your dog…"

"Don't you talk about her!"

She managed to deflect his curse, and kept blocking the subsequent ones, unable to bring herself to do anything to him. When someone tried to attack him from behind, however, her instincts compelled her to defend him once again, and she threw up a powerful shield. He turned around to see the person thrown back, and then looked at her, brow furrowed in obvious confusion.

"I'm Snowflake," she said, her voice at a more reasonable volume. He frowned further. "Dumbledore… he switched our minds… I didn't know it was going to happen." She shook her head, her chest heaving with panicked breaths. "I swear. But I remember…"

"Don't be ridiculous!" he snapped. "How could you be my dog? There she is!" He pointed at the husky's body. "That's her. That… _was _my Snowflake. Not an Animagus…"

"I know that. But I was in her body. My mind… and when she – when _I_ – saved your life, it must have reversed the spell." She looked up the hill to the headmaster, who kept glancing at them. She turned back to Yaxley. "Remember when you told me you loved me? Remember when you found me at the gate? And what about the first time I slept in your bed, when you were so cold?" He had lost his mask at some point during the duel, and she could see that his hard features were twisted in anger. "And you told me about your younger brother, how you tried to save his life when he was pushed off a bridge by those Muggles, and that you'd only just had a big fight the day before…"

"Shut up!"

Hermione knew that he'd never told those things to anyone else. He had to believe her now. She took a step forward.

"You said that you loved me," she said. "I know it was only as your dog, but it was _me_ in there. It was Hermione; I'm Snowflake. I'm your princess, your Snow." She held out her hand. "I'm yours. I… _I love you_."

-GTKY-

He couldn't believe it. His gorgeous, brown-eyed husky was Hermione Bloody Granger, the Mudblood friend of Harry Potter. Gryffindor to her core and an annoying know-it-all, according to Severus.

His heart was pounding rapidly as he stared at her across the battlefield. They were only about ten feet apart, yet she felt like a world away.

He had been deceived.

"Please," she said, raising her hands. "Please, Yaxley…"

"You _bitch_," he hissed, aiming his wand at her, wanting to kill her. "You… you lying, filthy, Mudblood…"

"Don't!" she cried. He blinked back his own tears, hurt by this betrayal. "Please… I'm so sorry… it wasn't my fault…" There was an explosion near them. She wiped away some tears. He dropped his hand to his side, unable to fight her. Her eyes were the same colour, her hair was the same damn colour as her fur had been.

"Why?" he said, his voice soft.

She suddenly ran forward, threw her arms around his shoulders and kissed him. She kissed him, right there, on the grounds of Hogwarts and in the midst of the biggest battle either of them had ever seen, and doubtless ever would see.

No! he told himself. Don't give in.

But her soft lips were so pliant, and she moulded so well to his body, and her tongue was coaxing his…

"Stop it!" he said, pulling back. He was panting hard as he looked at her soot-streaked face.

"I'm still the same Snowflake," she said, stroking his cheek. "I'm the same person who stayed with you during each transformation at the full moon, the same person you love…"

"No, you're not," he said, shaking his head emphatically. She whimpered as he backed away, still sounding dog-like. "You're not my Snowflake."

There was another explosion, further away this time, but it was enough to break the tension between them. Without looking back, Hermione ran up the hill, no doubt intent on finding her friends.

-GTKY-

Yaxley leant against a tree while he watched the girl sprint away. He knew it was her. Somehow, his inner wolf recognised her spirit. Whatever had made him hesitate when confronted by her was telling him now that she was the mate for his soul, just as his wolf knew the same about the husky whose body she had inhabited.

What had Albus Dumbledore hoped to accomplish with his little game of body swap? If it was to bring Yaxley to his knees on the battlefield… he had succeeded. If it was to give him a reason for living, only to take it away again at the 'right' moment… again, he had succeeded.

Had this whole thing made him change sides at the very last moment?

Yes, even if it was only to protect Snowflake/Hermione.

He charged up the well-trodden path to Hogwarts. He briefly wondered what Hermione Granger's body had been doing all this time, but decided that that question could wait until after the battle… if they survived.

But he would die to protect her, just as she had 'died' for him.

-GTKY-

By now, the word had spread that Hermione was up and running – literally – and she was annoyed to see that Harry and Ron weren't paying enough attention to their fighting, too busy looking around for her. She joined them in their fight against Voldemort, with barely a 'hello'.

Judging from their grins, and their renewed energy, she could tell that the boys were pleased to see her.

-GTKY-

Yaxley's thoughts had progressed as he followed Hermione's trail up to the castle. He remembered why he joined the Dark Lord's forces in the first place, and how he eventually realised how wrong he had been all this time. He had been smart to be responsible for as few deaths as possible, at least directly, doing more administrative, Ministry-based things than actual hands-on fighting.

This was the final battle. Everyone must have known it; the decider. If ever there was a time to make amends, even for _her_ sake, this was his last chance.

He could fight.

He might die; he might survive. He might remain free; he might be incarcerated without a second thought. But he would be damned if he didn't do the right thing now.

He paused as he passed Dumbledore on the way, who was busy duelling three Death Eaters at once. Rather than fighting him, he instead helped the headmaster take them out, feeling only slightly mollified by the old man's look of surprise. Before he could speak, Yaxley cut in.

"I merely want you alive to explain yourself to us, to _her_," he said. Then he continued on his not-so-merry way, shucking his Death Eater robes and leaving them behind.

-GTKY-

Severus Snape looked around in time to see a blond man taking out a Death Eater. He was in the middle of his next duel when he realised who he had seen.

"Watch out!" Yaxley shouted, and Severus quickly shielded himself. The two men took out their opponents as they edged towards the castle.

"What changed your mind?" he called.

"Did you know that Snowflake was Hermione Granger?" Yaxley said, once they were back-and-back, continuing to fight.

"She was _what_? I was under the impression that you had checked her for any magic!"

"I had. It was Dumbledore. He switched them somehow."

"Good gods," Severus muttered, and he struck down another Death Eater. He spoke up. "I didn't know. How did you find out?"

"Greyback killed Snowflake, and reversed the spell. She told me. Where has she been?"

They were interrupted when they found themselves facing Dolohov, Rowle, and Mulciber, and were occupied for several minutes, until Kingsley and Moody helped. Then the two Aurors jumped back into the fray as the two former Death Eaters made their way towards the castle.

"Miss Granger has been in a coma. I should have known that Albus would interfere without informing anyone of his plans," Severus said. "It is not the first time."

In a matter of seconds they were besieged again. Assistance came a second time. Yaxley kept glancing up at the school. He intensions were clear.

"Find her," Severus said. "I will be fine here. I have help."

"Thank you," Yaxley said. "Stay safe, Severus." Then he ran up the slope.

"Salazar, keep him safer," Severus murmured, and then he turned back to the duelling.

-GTKY-

Post-battle, Yaxley went to find Dumbledore. He couldn't stop his gasp when he saw the headmaster kneeling beside a familiar figure.

"He asked me about Miss Granger, more than once," Dumbledore said. He looked up at Yaxley. "He never knew. The last thing he said to me was 'Yaxley knows who she is'." He wiped away a tear. "Miss Granger's mind is clearly intact, just as I hoped. Yet I never anticipated the turn your relationship would take."

"We have no relationship," Yaxley said quickly.

"She must love you."

"You owe her an explanation!"

"And you should make sure that she is still alive," Dumbledore said, standing. He looked down at Severus Snape's body. "She came looking for you, and he sent her back inside. Only minutes later he took a curse meant for Molly Weasley. She, however, is unaware of this. The question is: should I tell her, or not?"

"I want Snowflake back," he whispered, gazing out over the battle-torn grounds. "She made me a better man, and I owe her my life. And an apology, for ever being one of the people out to destroy her kind."

"Were you really that person?"

Yaxley chewed the inside of his cheek as he glanced at the headmaster, suddenly feeling like a lost little boy. It was time to grow up.

"Tell her," he said. "Tell Mrs. Weasley who saved her. It may well hurt, but she deserves the truth. And would you rather risk her finding out some other way? Concealing the truth can be deadly. You may have achieved good through your deception, but anything could have gone wrong. An accident may have caused the secret to die with you. Something may have happened to Miss Granger's body, and she could have been lost, or trapped in a dog's body, forever! Or what if – Hades forbid – she had been mated with another dog or…" Here he stopped himself. Dumbledore had drooped visibly. "I need to find Miss Granger. She is my last link to…"

"Do not forget whose being was inside that husky," he said softly. "Your Snowflake was a dog in body only. You never knew the real animal. You only knew Hermione Granger."

"Hermione Granger," Yaxley echoed. "If she is dead, my life will be empty and worthless again."

-GTKY-

Hermione felt a gentle pressure on her knees, but refused to look up from where her face was buried in her hands. She could always smell him now, regardless of how far away he was, simply because he was always on her mind. So it could have been anyone in front of her, anyone at all, even though her head and heart both screamed for it to be…

"Look at me, princess," Yaxley said. He heard her gasp and her body tensed, but other than that she didn't move. "Princess… _Hermione_…"

He clasped one of her hands and lowered it; but her eyes remained stubbornly shut. She wouldn't fool herself into thinking that it was his voice, his touch – familiar and yet unfamiliar to her human body. It would hurt too much when it turned out to be a dream.

But then she felt tentative lips meet her own, lips she had only kissed once, in the heat of battle…

There should have been more reactions from the people nearby; but the war had robbed people of such emotions and the energy required to sustain them, and they were too tired to fight anymore.

"Let it be you, let it be you," she chanted, opening her eyes slowly. He was holding both her hands now, staring mournfully at her. "It… it _is_ you."

"Yes," he said. "What will you do with me? A word from you and they'll probably have me executed, or at least thrown in Azkaban. But…" He dropped from a squat to a kneel. "But a word from you could turn things the other way just as easily." He pushed her messy hair back behind her ears, reminded of the night she appeared at his gates; only this time they were – hopefully – finding each other again.

"What am I to you?" she said, still gazing at him. "You said that I'm not your Snowflake anymore. Was that a lie?"

"No," he said, half-smiling. "Her body is dead, and unless the old man curses you again, you can never be my Snowflake." Her spark of hope, stirred by his kiss, died, and she turned her attention to the floor, trying to conceal her heartbreak. "However, I wouldn't mind if you were… if you became my Hermione." She looked up, eyes wide. "In fact, I would love," he placed special emphasis on the word, "I would _love_ for you to be my Hermione. If you are willing."

"If… if I'm… Oh!" She pulled him close and revelled in the way his arms immediately went around her middle, just like old times. "I'm _very_ willing."

"You are?"

"Yes!"

He smiled against her chest, where he could hear her thundering heartbeats.

-GTKY-

Hermione cradled his head against her breasts, her eyes vaguely acknowledging the scene of destruction around them. Her breathing was still heavy and uneven, and she looked down at Yaxley.

"I don't want you to go to Azkaban," she said. "I just want us to go home."

"I've managed to evade a prison sentence before," he said. "And having fought on your side – hell, even saving Albus Dumbledore's life will earn me points – the chances that I could be incarcerated are slim. But I still must answer to a number of crimes. And… you would likely be called to the witness stand."

"Not necessarily…"

"You will. And you will have to tell the truth, no matter the consequences." He caught one of her tears as it fell from her cheek. "Don't cry for me. I started digging my own grave long ago."

"Don't say that," she whispered. She pushed him back far enough to sink to her knees before him. "I won't lose you. You're not a bad man. He… he manipulated your emotions, played on the values that your misguided parents taught you from an early age, and you were made to feel indebted to one of his followers for having helped you when you were young."

"He was just being a friend…" He trailed off. "I have tried to convince myself of these things many times, told myself that I didn't deserve to go to Azkaban. That it wasn't my fault. But I was a grown man by the time the Dark Lord had helped me achieve my goals. I could have done the honourable thing and walked away, but I didn't."

"You would have died," she said, cradling his face.

"I should have," he said. "I don't deserve to be living. I don't deserve to have you… but, damn it, I don't want to let you go!" He calmed down. "That is the problem, princess. I deserve to die for my crimes."

"But you've repented," she said. She kissed him lightly. "That makes you deserving of life… _and love_."

He kept his gaze on her, heart overflowing with affection, disbelief and that damned emotion called hope.

"My animal instincts were drawing me towards you," he said. "Ever since the first transformation my wolf has wanted you." He stroked her hair, tucking it behind her ears again and smiling at her giggle when he gave them a scratch. "If it wasn't for the Wolfsbane, who knows what I might have done to you?"

She blushed furiously at the suggestion, and cleared her throat.

"Let's get cleaned up," she said. "Then I want to hear Professor Dumbledore's explanation."

"So do I," he muttered, helping her to her feet.

-GTKY-

They didn't have far to go to find the headmaster; he was looking for them. Hermione spoke first.

"Tell me why, sir," she said, her arms crossed. She was standing close to Yaxley, taking comfort from his presence. "I need to know… why you would do such a thing. Put me in a… a dog's body. Give me to a known Death Eater. Your plan, whatever the _hell_ it was, had far too many risks."

"Let her speak," Yaxley said when Dumbledore went to interrupt. He sighed, and nodded.

"Anything could have happened," she said softly. "I know I'm not Harry. There's no… ridiculous prophecy that makes me important to the war." One of her hands went to her mouth, then back down again as she fidgeted in place. "But, headmaster, am I worth so little – do you _think_ so little of me – that you felt confident enough to risk my life, and the cause, for… what?"

Dumbledore shook his head slowly. "My dear Miss Granger, it is quite the opposite. I believed that we needed you to win. You have always been important. You would likely have fit into Ravenclaw much better; the Sorting Hat knew, however, that Harry would need someone like you, and that you would need a house like Gryffindor. I could have searched longer and found a solution to your problem, but I had no way of knowing whether there was time before total mental and physical breakdown. I did know that your mind and spirit – your very essence – had to be healed and preserved. That would never have happened in your real body, as it was then."

"But why did you send me away? Why couldn't I have stayed here?"

"It is simple. People would have worked it out. You would have been in even more grave danger. It was better to send you where I did. No one ever would have suspected your new location, after all. And as soon as your body was healed I would be able to reverse the spell and you could then tell me all that you had observed about Mr. Yaxley. He has always been an enigma." Hermione nodded as she took in his words, gazing at the floor.

"That never happened, of course," she said.

"I know, my dear…"

"I am _not_ your 'dear', Albus Dumbledore!" she shouted. Many looked over. "You couldn't have hidden me somewhere around here, kept me secret? Do you know how scared I was at the start, how many bad things happened, and _might_ have happened? She was breathing heavily, but calmed down when Yaxley placed a hand on her shoulder. "Did… did Professor Snape know?"

"He didn't," Yaxley said.

"When he visited us, and healed me…"

"He did not act under orders," Dumbledore said.

"Where is he? I have to thank him."

"Hermione…" But Yaxley didn't need to say any more. It was written all over his face. She buried her face in his robes to muffle her sobs, while he held her tightly. His expression grew hard as he looked at the headmaster.

"None of this excuses the risk you took with the life of someone in your care," he said. "It seems that you delight in using people as though they were created for your own personal use to achieve your goals. Had I not bought her, she likely would have been put to death at the pound. You are fortunate that your plan backfired in parts, the way that it did. And… so am I." He kissed the top of Hermione's head, and she burrowed into his robes further.

"And me," she said.

Just then, she felt him begin to pull away. But it didn't feel natural. She soon realised why.

"You can't take him," she said, shaking her head. "No. No, no…"

"Hermione, they have to," Yaxley said as the aurors began to lead him away.

"No!"

Dumbledore swiftly took hold of her, but she fought his grip viciously.

"Let me go! They can't take him away!"

"Miss Granger, you must calm down," he said. "They are doing their job."

"He fought on our side…"

"And he's a Death Eater," Dawlish said.

"So you're arresting Professor Snape?" she asked. A second later she gasped, and clapped a hand to her mouth. The aurors took advantage of her momentary distress to continue leading their prisoner away. She snapped out of it. "Leave my master alone!"

There were numerous gasps from the gathering crowd. Yaxley smiled softly at Hermione.

"Portkey for this one," Dawlish said. Hermione struggled when she saw the broken chair leg brought out of his pocket.

"No, no, no, _don't_!" she shrieked.

"There's one last thing I want to know," Yaxley said, turning his gaze on Dumbledore. "Why could I find no magic on her?"

"Because I performed the spell on Hermione's body, not on the dog," he said.

"Let me go," Hermione insisted weakly, pulling on the arms holding her prisoner.

"Good-bye, princess," Yaxley murmured. Then he and the aurors disappeared with a crack. Dumbledore let her go, and she fell to the floor in despair.

-GTKY-

"…And I do recommend that Mr. Yaxley be released, as it is my belief that he poses no threat to society now," Dumbledore said. He had looked at each member of the Wizengamot in turn as he spoke. Hermione hoped that his promise to help them would not be in vain. If anyone's opinion was to be valued, it would have to be either Dumbledore or Harry, and Harry… well, he still didn't have an opinion, other than that he was glad to have her back.

She was glad to be back, too. She had grown accustomed to her form as Snowflake; but it was much better to be in unrequited love with her master in her real body, especially as she had high hopes that he might one day return her feelings.

And it was easier to speak in his defence.

-GTKY-

Hermione stepped forward and prepared herself. She had an idea of what she wanted to say, but she didn't know if she could do it now. Nerves had hit like they never had before. This was worse than battle, because if something went wrong…

"You have heard from Professor Dumbledore how Mr. Yaxley saved his life," she said, but she was interrupted.

"Miss Granger, you are not here to repeat the evidence which has already been brought before the court," Amelia Bones said. "Please tell us of your own experiences with the defendant, not those of others. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Madam Bones," Hermione said. She took a deep breath and looked at her mast… at Yaxley. His face was unreadable, and she had no doubt that he was trying to hide a myriad of emotions. The possibility that resignation was one of them bolstered her courage.

"Is it true that you spent a number of months with the defendant while you occupied the body of a dog?"

"It is."

"And how did he treat you in that time?"

"On the whole, he treated me with great kindness and respect, saving me from the cold, from the pound – and almost certain death – and protected me… on other occasions. In other words, he saved my life more than once." She smiled down at Yaxley, who half-smiled back. Madam Bones continued her questioning.

"What were your experiences with him in battle?"

"Madam, he defended me when someone threatened my – Snowflake's – safety. I repaid his generosity of the previous months by taking the Killing Curse for him, which restored my mind and spirit to my human body." There were murmurs around the courtroom when she mentioned the Unforgivable. "I was also acting on canine instincts at that point, I believe. Then I joined the fray back at the castle, and didn't actually see him again until after the battle, where all was explained, _especially_ by Professor Dumbledore." She shot a Look at him, and was pleased to notice his guilty expression. "But I had heard that Mr. Yaxley had changed sides mid-battle, and he has since told me that it was my influence that changed his mind."

"Yet you were a dog for most of your acquaintance," Amelia said, tapping her quill on the bench.

"Something like that, yes."

"So how could you exercise any influence over him?"

She could see Yaxley visibly tense, yet – somehow – she suddenly felt perfectly calm.

"He would tell me things, all sorts of personal things he had never told anyone else," she said. "Confession is cathartic, and voicing his problems helped him untangle them. I would reprimand him every so often, sometimes with a growl, or a bat of my paw, or even with a mere look. We grew attached to each other. He was able to see where he had gone wrong, or had been manipulated." She looked at him as she spoke. "Then I sought him out in battle, and revealed who I was."

"What then?" Amelia asked above the whispers.

"He was in shock, and so I left to help back at the school. I didn't know at that stage that he changed sides… but I like to think that I was part of the reason he had a change of heart."

"You were all the reason I needed," Yaxley said softly, but she heard him, and blushed.

"If people like the Malfoys can avoid Azkaban with their money and connections, Mr. Yaxley should be let off as well, based on his actions in the Battle of Hogwarts," Hermione said, reverting her gaze to the Wizengamot. "Please release him. I don't want any of your money, and I don't need your Order of Merlin. I just want – and need – him."

There was absolute silence at her pronouncement. The members of the Wizengamot looked at each other, and then began to talk quietly amongst themselves. Hermione and Yaxley continued to look at each other, oblivious to their surroundings and the comments of the crowd.

"The Wizengamot will take a recess while we discuss the case," Amelia Bones said, drawing instant silence. "Court will reconvene in one hour. Take the prisoner to a holding cell until then." Tonks and Dawlish nodded, and led Yaxley away, still restrained. He looked back at Hermione over his shoulder before he was pulled from the room, and their eyes were connected for a moment longer… before it was broken as he was taken away.

"Please," she whispered, staring at the now-empty doorway. It closed with a bang, startling her back to reality.

"Come on, `Mione," Neville said, leading her towards their friends. Harry held his arms open, and she fell into them, trying desperately to hold back any imminent tears.

"It'll be okay," he said.

"What if it isn't?" she asked, her head still buried in his neck.

"Then you'll keep fighting," he said. "You've been doing it for a long time, so I know you might want to forget about it, and just rest…"

"I can't," she said, backing off. "I'm not letting him down. You _know _that he saved my life time and again. I won't give up when he needs me the most."

-GTKY-

When the hour was up, everyone filed back into the courtroom, Hermione in the lead. She got an aisle seat in the front row, one with the best view of the chair in the centre of the room. More to the point, the prisoner could see her, and she felt that that was the most important thing of all.

"The Wizengamot has made its decision, and will now pass sentence," Amelia Bones said. Her uncomfortable glance in Hermione's direction caused the young woman's heart to race. Surely, in light of the testimony…

"…we felt that, despite his last-minute change of allegiance, Mr. Yaxley must pay for the crimes he has committed, by his own admission."

"No," she whispered, gripping the barrier in front of her.

"He will therefore be removed to Azkaban Prison for the duration of twenty years…"

"No!" Hermione shrieked. Madam Bones froze as Hermione vaulted over the edge and landed on the floor, a feat she would never have attempted under normal circumstances. She ran to the chair and stood in front of Yaxley.

"Please don't do this," he said quietly, but she scowled at him.

"Leave heroics to the Gryffindors," she said. He raised his eyebrows, but stayed silent.

"Miss Granger, please return to your seat," Dawlish said, taking a step towards her. She drew her wand in an instant and pointed it between his eyes.

"Hermione, you don't want to get chucked out, do you?" Tonks said. "If you don't put down your wand, you'll have to be arrested…"

"Good," Hermione said. "Throw me into Azkaban, too. Just put me near him."

"You have to stop," she said. "He isn't worth it."

Hermione gaped at her.

"Not worth it?" she asked. "Why would you hold him in contempt simply because he allowed himself to be arrested and then proceeded to tell the truth when he was put on trial? Others resisted arrest and then lied their arses off – and they were let go! Do you punish people for honesty now?" she said, facing the Wizengamot. She pulled an object from her pocket – her Order of Merlin, Second Class. As she looked at it, inspiration struck.

"While I was Snowflake, he bought me from the pound," she said. "He is… my owner." She smiled. "Anything that is mine, is his, and that includes this." She held the medal aloft. "And since when do you send people to Azkaban who have the Order of Merlin?"

"It doesn't work like that," a member of the Wizengamot said. Hermione's expression darkened.

"Then this is what I think of your award," she said. With that, she threw it to the floor, and – wonder of wonders – spat on it. She glared at the headmaster. "You owe it to us to fix things, _professor_!"

There were outraged cries from all sides, and Yaxley groaned. She turned around.

"I'm so sorry," she said. "Each time I try, I fail. There's not much more I can do, short of breaking you out of here. Although that idea is still under consideration." He chuckled. "But I honestly thought that there was enough evidence… that I had enough pull…"

"It's life, princess," he said, shrugging. "Just don't let the bastards grind you down."

She blinked. "You know the show _Porridge_?"

"'Show'? Is it a play?"

"Never mind," she said.

"I am sorry, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said, regaining her attention. "I did try, but there were few of us on Mr. Yaxley's side. The majority voted for punishment, and we were fortunate to get such a low sentence."

"_Low sentence…?_"

"The use of an Unforgivable usually incurs lifetime imprisonment," he said, sounding somewhat stern. "Mr. Yaxley is a repeat offender."

"That _is_ true," Hermione," Yaxley said, but she shook her head.

"How many of you accepted bribes?" she asked, eyeing the members of the Wizengamot. It only took a few guilty looks to confirm her suspicions. "From Lucius Malfoy? That slippery bastard can get himself out of any situation. He could charm, bribe and lie his way out of quicksand."

She heard Harry's snort of laughter, but she was still far from amused.

"The Wizengamot cannot be influenced by an outsider," Yaxley said, "even though it may seem that way at times."

"And yet I remember another incident, one in my second year, involving the board of governors of Hogwarts. They were bullied into ousting Professor Dumbledore. The Wizengamot let prejudices inform their decisions at the beginning of our fifth year, when Harry was on trial. If Malfoy hadn't run off post-battle and begin his 'charity work' to restore his public image, then he would have been thrown into Azkaban. Because you gave yourself up – which was far more noble than Malfoy's attempts to look better – you didn't have the opportunity to manipulate the public's perception of you. Well," she turned to the crowd, "do _you_ accept the Wizengamot's ruling? I don't, and it wouldn't show its members – or the Ministry of Magic – in a good light if one of the members of the Golden Trio were to take up a vigil on Azkaban Island for the duration of twenty years."

"Too right!" Ginny said, pumping her fist in the air.

"So send me to prison if you must, but I am _never_ leaving his side again," she said, and she knelt beside the chair. "I'll want for nothing else if I'm with him. So." She stared up at the Wizengamot. "What is your decision _now_?"

-GTKY-

_Twenty years later…_

The door to Yaxley Manor's entrance hall still didn't creak, despite the age of the building. Its three older servants were eagerly lined up, almost bouncing where they stood, and Doyle and Lizzy's two children were behind them.

"It's good to be back after so long," Yaxley said, looking around.

"It is," Hermione said. She ran her be-ringed hand through his hair, the silver strands not yet standing out. Her husband smiled down at her.

"Welcome, Master and Mistress!" the house elves chorused, and they immediately began to fuss over their humans.

"Let's go to the library, love," Hermione said. They both thanked the elves, who split up to complete various tasks, while Yaxley led his wife into their favourite room in the manor. She clung to his arm, remembering the declaration she made before the Wizengamot….

"So many happy memories here," he said as they sat side-by-side on the couch. "I hate being away."

"Anyone would think that you'd dislike seeing our grandchild. We only leave for the weekend once a month, except when the children are home from school."

"I'd rather have my queen all to myself," he muttered, pulling her close. "I will confess, however, that I feel the strong need to keep an eye on Lucy's husband… the one who got her pregnant when she was eighteen."

"I was only nineteen when she was born," she said. He grumbled something unintelligible. "It's the full moon in two nights' time."

"How did you manage to convince me to agree to this?"

"The way women have been persuading men since the dawn of time."

"Ah, yes. I remember."

"Do wipe that smirk off your face, dear."

-GTKY-

Hermione had spent a couple of years training to be an Animagus, taking a break during the first pregnancy and for a few months afterwards. But her time as Snowflake made it much easier to complete the transformation. She broke down in tears after she returned to human form for the first time.

Her Animagus form was a brown husky.

In recent years she had been trying to cure lycanthropy, all the while pleased that she had campaigned for werewolf rights before Yaxley registered. She had more help… yet was no closer to solving the mystery.

So, before their weekend away, she had convinced her husband to bite her at the next full moon. He understood how important it was to her research, and the few advances she had made in the Wolfsbane Potion made the full moon nights much easier and more comfortable. And with all the children at Hogwarts – or finished – he agreed that now was the best time.

If he wasn't so damned in love with her he might have objected. Hell, he _should_ have objected. But after she won his freedom they had spent time together. He helped her catch up on her studies, she took her NEWTs – and aced them – and then moved in with him. They married days before she fell pregnant with Lu, and every day since then he had fallen more in love with his young wife. He could never deny her anything, he discovered, in just the way he had indulged Snow.

Surprisingly, they never bought a dog. No one could ever top Snowflake, and now he would have her for much longer than the lifespan of the average dog. (Not that she could have ever been considered 'average'.)

They both knew that she wanted to be 'turned' by him for more than just research purposes. Firstly, she wanted to share the experience with him, and not just keep him company. Secondly, there would be more incentive to help the girl of the Golden Trio, despite the risk that she could lose her job all the same.

Last of all, however, she knew that any life without her husband would eventually kill her, with the torture of time between their deaths. As it stood, he would die if she did because the wolf inside of him acknowledged her as a mate, and thus a life companion. Hermione fel that it was unfair.

So, on the next full moon, they would truly become one, and neither would live without the other.

Yaxley was worried, of course. However, his wife's devotion reminded him of that all-important point: a dog is a man's best friend, but only because of the love that they have for another.

And love is everybody's best friend.

THE END

* * *

><p><strong>Did you like it? I hope that my efforts of the last few months, writing bits and pieces of this fic, have not been in vain. So. See you next fic!<strong>


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